In the quiet city of Bellevue, Nebraska, the life of a 17-year-old White/Caucasian male named Kalani Zalopany was tragically cut short on October 12, 2020. Just after noon on that Monday, Bellevue Police responded to a rescue call at a residence in the 1000 block of West 31st Avenue. Inside, they discovered the young man suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite immediate attention, Kalani was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident sent ripples of shock and grief through the community, particularly at Bellevue East High School, where Kalani was a senior on the verge of graduation.
The investigation into the homicide moved swiftly. The day after the shooting, the Bellevue Police Department announced the arrests of two suspects: 18-year-old Davion Snider and an unidentified 16-year-old male. Both were charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, and robbery. Snider was booked into the Sarpy County Jail, while the juvenile was taken to the Douglas County Youth Center. The search for a third individual connected to the crime commenced, with police issuing a warrant for 21-year-old Rashaun Faison of Council Bluffs on similar charges. Faison later surrendered to authorities at the Sarpy County Jail on October 17, 2020.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Kalani had spent the first 12 years of his life there before relocating to Nebraska. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 5 inches, he was an avid basketball player and a devoted fan of the Chicago Bulls. Those who knew him remembered a kind, generous, and charming young man with a great sense of humor who was fiercely protective of his family and friends. His untimely death left a void in the lives of his parents, siblings, and the many others who cared for him. A funeral mass was held in his honor on October 20, 2020, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Omaha.
